President Muhammadu Buhari (middle); Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and others at the emergency ‘virtual’ meeting of the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja…yesterday
How Buni, govs ‘outplayed Tinubu’
• Presidency explains the national leader’s absence
• INEC blasts lawyers over conflicting court orders
• Party chieftains, others hail committee’s dissolution
• Court okays Ize-Iyamu’s membership as hundreds dump the party for PDP
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, warned that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) could collapse unless aggrieved members toed the path to peaceful conflict resolution.
He rang the alarm bells as the party held a virtual emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which dissolved the National Working Committee led by the suspended National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole.
In its place, the meeting, after adopting all the President’s recommendations, named Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni as Caretaker National Chairman and Senator John Udoedeghe as Caretaker National Secretary.
“The issues currently confronting our party at this time are such that should worry every party member… It is obvious that the fortunes of the party are currently in jeopardy. The administration of our party is becoming impossible and there is consequently an urgent need for intervention to immediately arrest further drifts and internal wrangling, which may lead to total disintegration,” Buhari said.
He noted: “What we see clearly emerging is that we are beginning to self-destruct. This, my dear party members, is not just regrettable but utterly gut-wrenching.”
Speaking further on the need to end litigations, the President said: “The directive had been issued before, unfortunately, some members failed to heed the directive. Thus, at this time, it must be made a resolution of the party, which must be effectively enforced with dire consequences for members who choose to ignore the directive.”
He added: “We must be alive to the time and the task that is before us. As we all know, we are immediately confronted with the upcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo States. Therefore, this is the time to get our acts together.”
Other members of the Caretaker Committee and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee are Isiaka Oyebola (South West); Ken Nnamani (South East); Stella Okorete (Women Representative); Dr. James Lalu (Physically Challenged Rep.); Senator Abubakar Yusuf (Senate Rep.); Hon. Akinyemi Olaide (Reps); David leon (South-South); Abba Ari (North West); Prof. Tahir Mamman (North East); and Ismail Ahmed (Youth).
Buni assumes duty, pledges fairness
BUNI, who has since assumed duty, arrived the national secretariat of the party, yesterday, at about 1.30 p.m., accompanied by Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu.
Others, who also came along were Governors Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano); Yahaya Bello (Kogi); Gboyega Oyetola (Osun); Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai (Kaduna); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Abdulrahman Abdulrazak (Kwara); Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger); and Senate President Ahmed Lawan.
For about an hour, Buni spoke with the staff of the secretariat at the party’s conference room, assuring them he would deploy his experience to reposition the APC.
He said: “After being two-time National Secretary of the party, I can say I know the party very well. I want to assure every APC member that we will do justice to everyone because we have a capable team. I am a team player and I am here to manage a crisis. If you do not manage the crisis, the crisis will manage you. Without justice, there will be no peace. So, I am ready to do justice to every APC member.
He said further: “NEC is the highest organ of the party. So, any decision taken by NEC is final. NEC directed that every member in court should withdraw his suit. The party will carry all members along, especially the leaders of the APC. Many of them have paid their dues to the party, so we will carry them along.”
How Buni, govs ‘snatched APC from Tinubu’
WITH the emergence of Governor Mai Mala Buni as Caretaker Chairman, members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) might have effectively seized control of the party structure from National Leader Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The decision by NEC to dissolve the Adams Oshiomhole-led NWC appeared to be the culmination of a grand design to whittle down the powerful influence of Tinubu, who is believed to be nursing a presidential ambition in 2023.
Key PGF members such as Governors Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai, Kayode Fayemi, Rotimi Akeredolu, Simon Lalong, Abubakar Badaru and Atiku Bagudu, believed to have been working underground to achieve the goal, apparently latched on to the leadership crisis that rocked the party to score the momentary victory against Tinubu.
President Muhammadu Buhari had taken the sudden decision to convene the NEC meeting less than 48 hours after the Bagudu-led PGF paid him a visit. With Buni, a colleague, directing affairs for the next six months, the governors seemed to have swung the pendulum in their favour ahead of the 2023 polls.
It is unlikely if Tinubu’s interest would be protected with the presence of just one of his key allies, Governor Gboyega Oyetola, in the thirteen-member Caretaker Committee.
Presidency explains Tinubu’s absence
THE Presidency, yesterday, explained that APC National Leader Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not attend the National Executive Committee meeting because he is not a member.
Bashir Ahmad, Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media, made the clarification, saying: “There are some people who need to know that the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is not a member of the National Executive Committee of the party, hence, he doesn’t attend the NEC meetings. This is very clear!”
Party chieftain, others hail NWC dissolution
EDO State APC Chairman Anselm Ojezua said: “I think it (NWC dissolution) is a good way of starting the resolution of the conflicts in the party.” He regretted that the suspended National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole featured in so many conflicts that the NEC “needed to push him out for a meaningful discussion, reconciliation or even resolution.”
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